IMPERIAL BEACH  Imperial Beach residents and businesses along with the Port of San Diego are bringing a professional sand castle competition back to the city.

The Original Imperial Beach Sandcastle Competition will be part of the 2014 Imperial Beach Sun & Sea Festival on July 18 and 19.

The Sun & Sea Festival derives its name from the city’s original community festival, which started in the 1960s to celebrate the date of the city’s incorporation on July 18. The annual celebration featured a sand sculpting competition.

Imperial Beach also held the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition for about 30 years, beginning in 1980.

However, its organizing committee dissolved in 2011 following what officials say was financial difficulties and a lack of volunteers.

Last year, a group of Imperial Beach citizens and stakeholders formed Sun & Sea Festival LLC to take on production responsibility.

“Almost immediately some of us here in town wanted to do something — find a happy medium by the community for the community,” said Shirley Nakawatase, an Imperial Beach resident, business owner and co-chair of the committee.

Tom Clark, the city’s public safety director, said that during the U.S. Open days there were up to 100,000 people in attendance daily with vendors selling food and other items along Seacoast Drive to Palm Avenue.

“Everything was in the street,” he said. “It was congested with people.”

Clark estimated public safety costs were in the neighborhood of $100,000 and increasing.

When the annual event ended, the port initiated a more family-oriented event, producing an Imperial Beach kids festival at Pier Plaza in June 2012, then reigniting the tradition of the city’s original celebration of a Sun & Sea Festival, which featured a professional sand sculpture display and Kids ‘n Kastles competition in 2013.

This year’s event further expands on the family-oriented theme to include a community parade, live entertainment, children’s craft activities and Kids ‘n Kastles competition, adult sand castle building competition, farmers market and international food fair, Sandcastle Ball and awards ceremony with $17,000 in cash prizes.

The port is this year’s major sponsor, providing $30,000.

“The port is supporting it in its second year of renewal to help it grow to a self-sustaining, family-friendly event that further enlivens the I.B. beachfront,” said Jim Hutzelman, community services manager for the port.

Last year Clark said lifeguards estimated about 75,000 people attended the event throughout the day. At least 50,000 are anticipated this year.

Julia Simms and her team at San Diego PR are managing the details of this year’s event.

“The people are really excited in the city of Imperial Beach to bring the master builders back,” Simms said.

However, she said there are many moving parts.

“Different committee members are involved with different aspects,” Simms said. “We fill in any of the gaps of anything that needs to be done to put on a successful event.”

There are committees for the parade, Sandcastle Ball and competition, farmers market and international food fair, entertainment and other areas.

Unlike in the past, Clark said a limited amount of vendors will be allowed this year with attendees encouraged to eat at local restaurants—changes, he said, that are for the better.

“The event before was a benefit to others, not necessarily Imperial Beach businesses and residents,” he said, adding there was a problem with heavy drinking and fights where weapons were used. “The theme now is family friendly and more classic California.”

Nakawatase said a unique aspect this year is the outreach to nonprofits.

“For example the Boys & Girls’ Club is handling the Sandcastle Ball,” she said. “We want to enrich the community and get everybody involved with volunteerism and community service.”